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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hide — animal skin
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. suit — to fit
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. last — finally
  8. game — wild animals
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. last — to go on
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. suit — clothes
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. last — final
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. game — a match
  20. fork — in a road
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. pass — a permit
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com